Canonsburg limits chairs to save Fourth of July parade spaces

UPDATED 2:41 PM EDT Jun 30, 2013

CANONSBURG, Pa. -

One western Pennsylvania borough's council has voted to curb parade chairs.

Canonsburg council voted Monday to restrict how soon residents can put chairs along the borough's Independence Day parade route because some folks have begun putting up chairs to save their seats nearly two weeks before the annual parade.

Council said that's unsafe, especially because some folks chain their chairs together to make them harder to move.

The new rule bans space-saving chairs before 6 a.m. each July 4.

Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome said public safety remains the No. 1 concern.

“We had a little bit of a microburst that came through, put some chairs out into the roadway. Along with that, there were people who were putting chains from tree to tree and telephone pole to telephone pole. There are some handicapped people here and we need to be cognizant of the safety for those people as well,” said Rhome.

The chair effort has become an event unto itself, with a local civic group giving out cash prizes for the most flamboyantly decorated chairs this year.

“I love the chairs. It's (been) a tradition here in Canonsburg for many, many years,” said resident Nadeen Steffey.

Councilman Joseph McGarry cast the only "no" vote, saying, "We're going from one extreme to the other."

“I think they needed to have some kind of cushion in there -- maybe one or two days would be fine -- because you're going to have problems, maybe, hopefully not, but you're going to have problems because of the people gathering,” said McGarry.

McGarry said he favors letting people put out chairs a day or two before the parade.

“It is big. This is Canonsburg. Canonsburg is the chairs. The chairs are Canonsburg,” he said.

Steffey said delaying when resident can set up their chairs until 6 a.m. will be “extremely chaotic” due to the amount of activity in the area the day of the parade.

“There's so much going on downtown prior to the parade, with people arriving as it is. Plus, there's the race in the morning, that people bringing their chairs and plopping them willy-nilly, I just feel like it's going to be extremely chaotic,” said Steffey.

Lobbying has already begun to change the date when residents can start putting out their chars.

“I think the people always have a voice, and if the people feel they want to extend it, they have a right to come to council, voice their concern and let council mull that around a little bit,” said Rhome.